Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 37 – Section 38
That such as are not of a particular constituted Church (to wit such a one Mr B.as theyrs is) are no subiects of Christs kingdome.
And since our Church is a particular congregation separatedAnsw. from Antichristianism, into covenant with God by voluntary submissiō vntounto the gospel, we do avow it for truth that such … are not of a particular &c.
For since the visible Church is the visible or externall †Math. 21 43. Ioh. 10 16.kingdome of Christ which he as mediator collecteth, protecteth, and administreth, he that is not a member of the visible Church is not in this regard a subiect of Christs kingdome. Neyther are your exceptions1 Cor. 15. 24▪ against this doctrine of any force.
The scripture (you say in the first place) never sets forth any of Gods people by this mark. Yes that it doth and that oft tymes without any other mark.
How oft doth Moses, and the other Prophets with him entreat the Lord to spare Israel when they sinned, for their constitution, that is for the covenant of his mercy into which he had admitted them with their forefathers Abraham, Isaak, and Iaakob?
The Lord protesteth Is. 1. that Israel did rebel against him, that they did not vnderstand, but were a most sinfid nation, yea as Sodom & Gomorrah, and yet he calls them children & his people. v. 1. 2. 3. 4. 10. yea passing Sodom in iniquity, and yet the daughter of his people, & daughter Zion, Lam. 4. 6. 22. And what do these and infinite other the like places but cōclude that where there was little or nothing els to be seen, the Lord marked out his people by this, that he had †Deut. 29. 12. 13.established them a people vntounto himself by covenant which though they for their part had broken by their iniquities, yet was for the present on his part vndissolved?
And where it is graunted by Mr B. that the godly ought to ioyn with the visible Church if possibly they can, why doth he blame vsus which intend no further? If men truely desire it but cannot possibly accō plish it, the Lord in this as in other cases, accepts the will for the deed.
And so I answer your 3. Exceptiō in order touching the martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes and other godly persons there named, that some of them were members of the true visible Church actually, others actually separated from the false Church, and in will (which God accepteth) ioyneth with the true Church, & others walking faithfully according to their knowledg whether living or dead, are and were Gods people, though in Babylon.
Your second exception is certayn scriptures to which (you say) this doctrine is contrary. The first is Gal. 3. 7. 9. And how to this?
They that are of the faith of Abraham separate themselves by faith from the world into covenant with the Lord, as Abrahā did Gen. 12. 1. 2. 3. Heb. 11. ….
To the 2. place which is 1 Ioh. 3. 14. I do answer that Iohn speaks of such as were of the true visible Church; neyther can any other, according to the true visibility & manifestation of the love which the Lord requireth, love his brother, which is not of a true visible Church.
He that doth not admonish his brother (if he offend) after that order, and in those degrees, which the word prescribeth, doth not love his brother. Lev. 19. 17.
But onelyonly he that is of a true visible Church and that furnished with the power of Christ, the keyes of the kingdome for the censures, can admonish his brother in that order and those degrees which the word prescribeth, Mat. 18. 15. 16. 17. And so this scripture Mr B. overthrowes both your opinion, and standing.
The third scripture is 1 Cor. 1. 1.
Paul wrytes there onelyonly to visible Churches, to the Church of Corinth primarily and so by proportion to all other visible Churches in the world, for to them alone the censures, sacraments, prophesying, and other matters there handled, do appertayne. 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. and 11. 20. and 14. 4. 5.
The brother spoken of in the fourth and last place which is 2 Th. 3. 15. was a member of the visible Church and subiect of Christs kingdome, though walking inordinately in his calling as appeareth, v. 11. and therefore to be discountinanced and made ashamed by the Church that he might the more faythfully apply himselfe to his busines.
These scriptures then do none of them wash this mark, from of Gods people, but some of them, if not all, print it far more deeply vponupon them.
Lastly you ask whither Christs kingdome be not spirituall, and invisible Mr B.also? Iob: 18. 33. and 10. 16.Answ.
No man will deny it (though the places you alledge do not so necessary prove it). But as Christs kingdome is spirituall and invisible also, so is it spirituall and visible also. The †1 Cor. 2. 15.man which hath receaved the spirit, is spirituall, and not the soule onelyonly. So externall things may be spirituall & are in their relatō & vse and you erre, if you think otherwise. The *Rom. 1. 11. and 15. 27. 1 Cor. 10 3. 4.word, sacraments, & other ordināces of the Church are spiritual, yea all the “Rom. 12. 1▪ Heb. 13. 15. 26. 1 Pet. 2. 5.sacrifices, of the faithfull are spirituall, & more specially, as the Lord Iesus is the Preist both of the soul & body & †1 Cor. 6. 20▪hath payed a price for both, so is he also the King both of soule & body and swayes the scepter of his kingdome not onelyonly internally by his spirit in the soule, but externally, and visibly also by this word in the outward man, guyding the same by his lawfull officers depu…ed there vntounto.
But what is the cause why Mr B. should move this question?
Is it not for that himselfe and his Church not having Christ to rule over them by his lawes but other kings and Lords by theyr canōs, he would insinuate that Christ exerciseth none external regiment over his Church, nor is the King over the bodyes of his subiects at all, thus rather labouring to abolish that part of Christs Kingdō then to submit to it. But as our principall care at all times must be to have the throne of our L. Iesus erected in our harts, that he may reigne there, so, that we may give him his owne entyre, & that which he hath so dearly bought, we must rank our bodyes also vnderunder the regiment he hath established for the well ordering & preservation of his kingdom forever both in soule & body, & not like Nichodemites, or Familists presume to submit the outward man we care not to whome, or what.
Our fourth supposed error is.Mr B.